A Daughter of Chang'an

During the Chuigong era, Wu Zetian rules as empress regnant. Former Tang officials oppose her and face an iron-fisted crackdown: the men are beheaded, while their female relatives are sent into the palace service quarters. When young Ji Shenghuan is being beaten, Xie Yao steps in to defend her, giving her a purpose in life.

Years later, Xie Yao becomes Chang'an's imperial inspector, touring the city on the empress's behalf. Ji Shenghuan, meanwhile, remains in the divine capital and becomes one of the empress's trusted confidantes.

Ji Shenghuan's greatest wish is to stay by Xie Yao's side and see her year after year. But fate has other plans. A secret memorial exposes a rebellion plot, and Ji Shenghuan receives an imperial order to investigate. By chance, she discovers that this conspiracy to overthrow Zhou and restore Tang is inextricably linked to Xie Yao.

The investigation turns Ji Shenghuan into an agent of the Unseen. She meets Shen Fang, the Unseen commander of Chang'an County, and Lu Youyuan, the county magistrate. And so the story begins...